Air distributing apparatus



Nov. 19,1963 w. w. HOYLE ETAL AIR DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS Filed 000- 16.1961 IN VEN TORS; WALTER W. HOYLE BY JAMES BLACK ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,111,075 AIR DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS Waiter W.Hoyle, Fayetteville, and James Black, Syracuse, N.Y., assignors toCarrier Corporation, Syracuse, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware FiledOct. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 145,331 Claims. (Cl. 98-40) This inventionrelates to air distributing apparatus and, more particularly, to airdistributing apparatus having novel grille means which are bothadjustably and removably mounted on the casing of such apparatus.

In many commercial air conditioning systems, for example, those used inmotels or hotels, treated air is discharged into an area to beconditioned through an air distributing apparatus. Such apparatusgenerally comprises a casing having an opening therein in which arepositioned suitable louvered grille means. Often, these grille means arefonmed integrally with the casing. This is undesirable as it is oftennecessary to vary the air deflection pattern to accommodate the Wishesof the occupants of the area to be treated. Too, maintenance ofcomponents within the casing would be facilitated if the grille meanswere removable. The provision of pivoted louvers in the grille means tovary the air pattern was found to be unwarranted in view of the expense.Recently, grille means, which were formed from a plurality of smallgrilles that merely rested on a support in the casing, were used.However, these small grilles were not secured to the casing.Consequently, they were often removed by the occupants of the area to betreated and either lost or damaged. Replacement of these small grillesnecessitated an unnecessary expense.

An object of this invention is to provide air distributing apparatus inwhich the deficiencies and disadvantages of prior constructions areobviated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide air distributingapparatus with grille means which are secured in such apparatus, yetwhich are easily removable therefrom for maintenance purposes.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide air distributingapparatus with grille means which are detachably secured to the casingin such apparatus in a manner to discourage unauthorized removaltherefrom.

A further object of the present invention is to provide air distributingapparatus having grille means comprising stationary Llouvers therein,the grille means being adjustably mounted to vary the deflection of theair discharging from such apparatus.

These and other objects of this invention will become hereafter moreapparent.

This invention relates to an air distributing apparatus comprising acasing having an elongated opening therein, the opening having at leasttwo parallel sides, track means adjacent the parallel sides of theopening, and air deflecting means removably positioned in the opening,the air deflecting means comprising at least one frame member havingoppositely disposed lug means thereon engaging the track means, thetrack means having aligned recesses therein to receive the lug meanswhereby the frame member is engageable with the track means at therecesses and is slidable along the track means to prevent removal of theframe member from the track means in a direction normal to the trackmeans at a location other than at the recesses.

The specific structural details of the present invention and their modeof functioning will be made most manifest and particularly pointed outin clear, concise and exact terms in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 .is a front perspective view of an air distributing apparatusembodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the air distributing apparatus of FIGURE 1with one of the grilles removed;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line IIIIII ofFIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a bottom view of one of the grilles of the presentinvention.

Referring now to the drawing, like numerals in the various figures willbe employed to designate like parts.

In FIGURE 1, there is shown an air distributing apparatus comprisingcasing 10 through which air may be discharged into an area to betreated. The air may be ventilation air or treated air. The manner inwhich the air is treated forms no part of this invention and it isbelieved adequate to state merely that air may be supplied to theinterior of the casing from a suitable source. The casing includes front11 having louvered opening 12 therein, sides 13 and top 14. In top 14 ofcasing 10 there is pro vided rectangular opening 15 within which isdisposed grille means 16. The grille means are preferably formed of aplurality of individual grilles or deflecting members 17 Referring toFIGURE 2, it can be seen that the grille means 16 are supported on trackmeans 18 which are provided adjacent elongated parallel sides 19 and 20of opening 15. Provided in the track means are recesses or cutoutportions 21 and 22.

In FIGURE 3, there is shown a fragmentary crosssectional view takengenerally along the line IIIIII in FIGURE 2. Track means 18 may beformed integrally with top 14 of casing 10, and may comprise a dependingmember 24, 25, respectively, and a supporting member 26, 27,respectively. The track formed by members 24 and 26 is adjacent side 19of opening 15. The track formed by members 25 and 27 is adjacent side 20of opening 15. If desired, the depending member and supporting membermay be formed from an angle member suitably secured to top 14 as, forexample, by welding.

As can best be seen in FIGURE 4, each grille 17 comprises frame 32having four sides 28 preferably of equal length. Louvers for deflectingthe air are fixed to frame 32. In the embodiment of the inventionillustrated, parallel louvers 29 are disposed at predetermined anglesacross two of the sides 28. Support ribs are secured to the other twosides and to the louvers 29. Lug means 23 are secured to each side 28 ofgrille 17. These lug means may be formed from generally outwardlyopening L-shaped projections which are adapted to engage track means 18or these lug means may be angle members which cooperate with the bottomof the sides to function in the same fashion as the L-shapedprojections. The manner in which the lug means 23 engage the track means'18 can best be seen in FIGURE 3. It is contemplated that louvers 29 maybe secured across adjacent sides 28. Too, some louvers in a frame may beangled in one direction and others in a second direction.

It will be apparent that in use, grilles 17 can be engaged onto thetrack means 18 only through the recesses 21 and 22 in the track means. Agrille 17 is positioned over opening '15 such that opposed lugs 23thereon extend into recesses 21 and 22. The lugs are moved intoengagement with the track means and then the grille is slid along thetrack means into position in opening 15. Only the grille last positionedcan be removed by lifting the same in a direction normal to the plane ofthe track means. The other grilles can be removed only by successivelysliding them to a position .where opposed lug means 23 are in recesses21 and 22. Lugs 23 are disengaged from the track means 18 and the grillemay be removed.

Inasmuch as sides .28 are equal in length in a preferred embodiment ofthe invention and louvers 29 are fixed in each of the grilles 17,adjustment of the deflection pattern of the air is accomplished byselective positioning of the grilles in the opening 15. For example,considering the illustrated embodiment of the invention, to deflect airforwardly of the casing, each of the grilles may be positioned in theopening such that the louvers are angled forwardly. By positioning eachof the grilles 17 in opening 15 such that the louvers are angled to theleft, the air may be deflected to the left. Similarly, by rotating eachof the louvers 180" such that the louvers are angled to the right, theair may be deflected to the right. It will be obvious that if desired,certain of the louvers may be positioned to deflect air in one directionand others may be positioned so as to deflect air in another direction.

By the present invention there has been provided an air distributingapparatus having grille means which are detachably and adjustablyconnected to track means adjacent an opening in such apparatus. Thegrille means may be removed when necessary for maintenance, yet theremoval is of such a nature that unwarranted removal of the grilles isdiscouraged. In a presently preferred embodiment of the invention eachgrille comprising sides 28, louvers 29, support ribs 30* and lug means23 are molded integrally of plastic. The resultant grille is thus easyto manufacture and is relatively inexpensive.

The above disclosure has been given by way of illustration and not byway of limitation and it is desired to protect all embodiments of theherein disclosed inventive concept within the scope of the appendedclaims.

We claim:

1. In an air distributing apparatus, the combination of a casing havingan elongated opening therein, said opening having at least two parallelsides, track means adjacent the parallel sides of said opening, and airdefleeting means re-movably positioned in said opening, said airdeflecting means comprising at least one [frame member having oppositelydisposed lug means thereon engaging said track means, said track meanshaving aligned recesses therein to receive said lug means whereby saidframe member is engageable with said track means at said recesses and isslidable along said track means to 4 prevent removal of the frame memberfrom the track means in a direction normal to the track means at alocation other than at the recesses.

2. In an air distributing apparatus, the combination of housing meanshaving a generally rectangular opening therein; opposed track meansadjacent the longer sides of said opening, each of said track meanshaving a recessed portion; and grille means detachably and adjustablyconnected to said track means for deflecting the air discharged throughsaid opening, said grille means having lug means secured thereto, saidlug means being constructed and arranged to slidably engage oppositesides of said track means whereby the grille means may be positioned byplacing the lug means in said recessed positions and by moving saidgrille means in a plane parallel to the plane of the track means toengage the lug means on the track means.

3. An air distributing apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said grille meanscomprises a plurality of frames, each frame having a plurality oflouvers disposed in a predetermined position therein, and said lug meansare secured to opposed edges of each frame, thus permitting inversion ofthe frames to vary the air distribution through the opening.

4. An air distributing apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said grille meanscomprises a plurality of frames, each frame having four sides of equallength, and lug means secured .to each side of said frame forselectively positioning the frame to vary the air distribution throughsaid opening in any one of four directions.

5. An air distributing apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said framelouvers, and lug means are integrally formed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,116,873 Williams May 10, 1938 2,467,309 Hart et al. Apr. 12, 19492,772,624 Carnes Dec. 4, 1956 2,792,985 Heim-an May 12, 1957

1. IN AN AIR DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS, THE COMBINATION OF A CASING HAVINGAN ELONGATED OPENING THEREIN, SAID OPENING HAVING AT LEAST TWO PARALLELSIDES, TRACK MEANS ADJACENT THE PARALLEL SIDES OF SAID OPENING, AND AIRDEFLECTING MEANS REMOVABLY POSITIONED IN SAID OPENING, SAID AIRDEFLECTING MEANS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE FRAME MEMBER HAVING OPPOSITELYDISPOSED LUG MEANS THEREON ENGAGING SAID TRACK MEANS, SAID TRACK MEANSHAVING ALIGNED RECESSES THEREIN TO RECEIVE SAID LUG MEANS WHEREBY SAIDFRAME MEMBER IS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID TRACK MEANS AT SAID RECESSES AND ISSLIDABLE ALONG SAID TRACK MEANS TO PREVENT REMOVAL OF THE FRAME MEMBERFROM THE TRACK MEANS IN A DIRECTION NORMAL TO THE TRACK MEANS AT ALOCATION OTHER THAN AT THE RECESSES.